"I'm staying here, Sturm;" she said. After pausing to get her voice under control, she continued, "I know what you're going. to say, so listen to me first. You're going to need all the skilled fighters you can get. You know my worth:'

Sturm nodded. What she said was true. There were few in his command more accurate with a bow. She was a trained swordsman, as well. She was battle-tested-something he couldn't say about many of the young knights under his command. So he nodded in agreement. He meant to send her away anyhow.

'I am the only one trained to use the dragonlance-"

"Flint's been trained;' Sturm interrupted quietly.

Laurana fixed the dwarf with a penetrating stare. Caught between two people he laved and admired, Flint flushed and cleared his throat. "That's true;" he said huskily, "but-I-uh- f must admit-er, Sturm, that I am a bit short:'

"Webs seen no sign of dragons, anyhow;' Sturm said as, Laurana flashed him a triumphant glance. "The reports say.:' they're south of -us, lighting for control of Thelgaard.

"But you believe the dragons are on the way" don't you2°` Laurana returned.

Sturm appeared uncomfortable. 'Perhaps;' he muttered,

"You can't lie Sturm, so don't start now. I'm staying. li what Tanis would do-'

'I)amn it, Laurana!" Sturm said, his face flushed. "Live y own life'. Ibu can't be Tans! f can"t be Tanis! He isn't he We've got to face that!" The knight turned away suddenly. ' isn't here," he repeated harshly.

Flint sighed, glancing sorrowfully at Laurana. No-one noticed Tasslehoff, who sat huddled miserably in a comer.

Laurana. put her arm around Sturm. "I knave I'm not.

friend Tanis is to you, Storm. I can never take his place. But do my best to help you. That's what I meant. You don't

treat me any differently from your knights='

"I know, Laurana," Sturm said. Putting his arms around her he held her close. "I'm sorry I snapped at you:" Sturm '

"And you know why I must send you away. Tanis would forgive me if anything happened to you:'

""Yes, he would;' Laurana answered softly. "He woraId up

stand. He told me anae that there comes a time when you've

THE DRAGONS OF WINTER NIGHT

to risk your life for something that means more than life itself. Don't you see, Sturm? If I fled to safety, leaving my friends behind, he would say he understood. But, deep inside, he wouldn't. Because it is so far from what he would do himself. Besides"-she smiled-"even if there were no Tanis in this world, I still could not leave my friends:"

Sturm looked into her eyes and saw that no words of his would make any difference. Silently, he held her close. His other arm went around Flint's shoulder and drew the dwarf near.

Tasslehoff.. bursting into tears, stood up and flung himself on them, sobbing wildly. They stared at him in astonishment.

"Tas, what is it7" Laurana asked, alarmed.

"It's atl my fault! I broke one! Am I doomed to go around the

world breaking these things?" Tas wailed incoherently.

"Calm down;" Sturm said, his voice stern, He gave the ken-

der a shake. 'What are you talking about?"

"I found another one," Tas blubbered. "Down below, in a big empty chamber:'

"Another what, you doorknob?" Flint said in exasperation.

"Another dragon orb!" Tas wailed.

iVight settled over the Tower like a thicker, heavier fog. The knights Iigluted torches, but the flame only peopled the dark-

ness with ghosts. The knights kept silent watch from the battlements, straining to hear or see something--anything. , .

Then, 'When it was nearly midnight, they were startled to hear, not the victorious shouts of their comrades or the flat, blaring horns of the enemy, but the jingle of harness, the soft

whinny of horses approaching the fortress.

Rushing to the edge of the battlements the knights shone Larches down into the fog. They heard the hootbeats slowly

came to a haft.

Sturm stood above the gate. yo rides to the Tower of the High Clerist?' he call,ed.

A .single torch flared below. Laurana, staring dawn into the

Misty darkness, felt her knees gaow weak and grabbed the stone wall to support herself. The knights cried out in horror.

The rider who held the flaming torch was dressed in the shin

ing arnlar of an officer in the draganarrrly 4tLlreg ~mf~cnr…,.

HefC

Was blonde, III5 cold, and cruel. H~e.led a .second! horse across which were thrown two bodies-one of them headless, both bloody, mutilated.

"I have brought back your officers;' the man said" his voice harsh and blaring. "One is quite dead, as you can see. The other, I believe, still lives. Or he did when I started on my journey. I hope he is still living, so that he can recount for you what took place upon the field of battle today. If you could even call it a battle:"

Bathed in the glare of his own torch, the officer dismounted. He began to untie the bodies, using one hand to strip away the ropes binding them to the saddle. Then he glanced up.

"Yes, you could kill me now. I am a fine target, even in this fog. But you want. You're Knights of Solamn!a'"-his sarcasm was sharp-"your honor is your life. You wouldn't shoot an unarmed man returning the bodies of your leaders:' He gave the ropes a yank. The headless body slid to the ground. The officer dragged the other body off the saddle. He tossed the torch down into the snow next to the bodies. It sizzled, then went out, and the darkness swallowed him.

"You have a surfeit of honor out thereon the field," he called. The knights could hear the leather creak, his armor clang as he remounted his horse. "I'll give you until morning to surrender. , When the sun rises, lower your flag. The Dragon Highlord will.; deal with you mercifully-"

Suddenly there was the twang ©f a bow, the thwnk of an arrow striking into flesh, and the sound of startled swea.ring4' from below them. The knights turned around to stare in aston-. ishment at a lone figure standing an the wall, a bow in its hand.

"I am not a knight;' Laurana called out, lowering hey bow. "C am Lauralanth.alasa, -daughter of the Qualinesti. INe elves hafta our oven code of honor and, as I'm sure you know, f can sera you quite well in this darkness. l could have killed you. As it is,; I believe you vuill ha re some difficulty using that arm. Eor a to time. In fact, you may never hold a sword; again:'

"Take that as our answer to your Highlord:' Sturm s ' harshly. "We will lie cold in death before we lower our flag!'

"Indeed you will" the officer said through teeth clenched' pain. The sound of galloping hooves was lost in the darkness

"Bring in the bodes;' Sturm ordered.

autiouslhr the knights opened the gates. Several rushed to cover the others who gently lifted the bodies and bore them inside. Then the guard retreated back into the fortress and bolted the gates behind them.

Sturm knelt in the snow beside the body of the headless knight. Lifting the man"s hand, he removed a ring from the stiff, cold fingers. The knight's armor was battered and black with blood. Dropping the lifeless hand back into the snow, Sturm bowed his head. "Lord Alfred;" he said tonelessly.

"Sir;" said one of the young knights, "the other is Lord Derek. The foul dragon officer was right-he is still alive:"

Sturm rose and walked over to where Derek lay on the cold stone. The lord's face was white his eyes wide and glittering feverishly. Blood caked his lips, his skin was clammy. One of the young knights supporting him held a cup of water to his lips, but Derek could not drink.

Sick with horror, Sturm saw Derek"s hand was pressed over his stomach, where his life's blood was yelling out, but not fast

enough to end the agonizing pain. Giving a ghastly smile, Derek clutched Sturm's arm with a bloody hand.

"Victory!" he croaked. "They ran before us and we pursued!